Unit4
Some people think that they’ve fulfilled their tasks as long as they go on duty and come off duty on time. They never think about what is meant by “work” and why they should work at all. In fact, “work” involves such qualities as wisdom, enthusiasm, imagination and creativity.
To do his work well, a worker must have a spirit of dedication, and be capable of bearing hardships and standing hard work. In addition, he should have initiative and creativity. Having initiative means the worker should be ready to grasp every opportunity to display his outstanding ability.
In addition, a worker should make clear the nature and significance of the work he does, be responsible for whatever he is doing and plunge himself into the work with vigorous enthusiasm. If he can do so, he will find a job no longer a burden but an indispensable part of his life. Whatever he does, he can always find values and pleasure in the work and achieve extraordinary results in otherwise ordinary work.
Unit5
Sara and Michael used to be a two-career couple with a home of their own, two cars and a large boat bought with a large loan. They were both busy with their respective work and sometimes they had to make business trips at weekend. The only time for their so-called home life was restricted to the few hours after work. Indeed, they had made a lot of money, but they got fed up with such a fast-paced lifestyle. So soon after their daughter was born, they decided to change their lifestyles.
They traded their two full-time careers for two part-time jobs, and tried hard to curtail their consumption. They sold their splendid house and moved into a smaller but pretty and energy-efficient home designed by themselves. They downsized their possessions and discarded all the expensive clutter. They also sold their big boat and shared a smaller one with another family so that they could still enjoy sailing on the sea. They gave up the extra car and their professional wardrobes. They also gave up expensive hobbies. They seldom ate out, thereby reducing a lot of expenses. Now they no longer purchase things on impulse and only spend money on the bare necessities.
One may think that they are too stingy toward themselves. But that is not the case. For them it is a voluntary act to have chosen this simple and frugal lifestyle. It is by no means deprivation. They believe that a frugal life is beneficial to both society and the individual.
Unit6
What is truth? Truth is the correct reflection of people’s knowledge about the objective world and its laws. Truth makes people full of hope and life full of brilliance and glory. Therefore, many people regard the pursuit of truth as the ultimate goal of their lives. In human history, many people devoted their lives to the pursuit of truth and made outstanding contributions to mankind.
Truth is both absolute and relative. We say that truth is absolute because truth can objectively reflect the essentials of things. However, any truth is but people’s correct understanding of the development of things at a certain stage. Therefore, truth is relative and develops constantly.
Sometimes, the brilliance of truth may dim but it will never die out. For some people, truth may seem beyond their reach. In fact, it is close at hand. We can find truth as long as we keep pursuing it heart and soul.